Dak Prescott finally got his contract, agreeing to a four-year, $240 million deal with $231 million guaranteed, only hours before the season opener. He will make more than $400 million in his career by the time the deal ends in 2028.
The question is whether he will have at least one Super Bowl title in that time.
For as much success as he has had in his Cowboys’ career, Prescott is only 2-5 in the postseason and has never gotten the Cowboys beyond the divisional round.
“It’s my only motivation,” Prescott said of the Super Bowl, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “Hold up my part of this deal. Just deliver that. That’s my motivation. Right now, it’s about celebrating this win tonight. Hell of a win with these guys, excited for this plane ride back with them, but then turning the page tomorrow, getting on to the Saints and taking it one game at a time. That is what is at the forefront of my mind. Not the money. It’s about holding up my end of the deal. And I want to do it here.”
Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys and Texas Stadium for $140 million in 1989. His team won three championships in his first seven seasons as owner but haven’t been back even to the NFC Championship Game since.
Now that he’s the highest-paid player in NFL history, with a $60 million a year average, Prescott seemingly faces even more pressure.
“I put the most pressure on myself,” Prescott said. “Simple as that. I’m not happy with my . . . performance today, and that’s what motivates me. That’s what pushes me. You try to be -- and I say try -- you try to be bummed about it in the locker room, but you know it’s a win on the road, which is good for the team and then you got teammates telling you it was a hell of a day for you.
“I put the most pressure on myself. Nobody’s a bigger critic than I am personally, and I expect greatness out of myself with my standards, my expectations and the same for this team. So there’s no added pressure.”
Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson is going to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his left knee injury, but X-rays were negative.
Todd Archer of ESPN reports Ferguson’s ACL is intact.
“I think we dodged a big one,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “Talking to him, he gave me a lot of confidence that he’ll be OK.”
Ferguson caught three passes for 15 yards in Sunday’s win over the Browns.
His absence, however long, would give 2023 second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker a bigger role. Brevyn Spann-Ford and John Stephens are the other tight ends on the active roster.
Tight end Jake Ferguson’s left knee injury was one of the few negative developments for the Cowboys on Sunday.
Ferguson left their 33-17 road win over the Browns with a knee injury and he’ll be having tests on it when the team returns to Dallas. Ferguson said, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, that he is going to have an MRI on the knee.
Watkins reports Ferguson had the knee wrapped in ice as he left the locker room.
Ferguson had three catches for 15 yards before he left the game. Luke Schoonmaker, Brevyn Spann-Ford, and John Stephens are the other tight ends on the 53-man roster.
The Cowboys dominated the Browns in every phase, with two offensive touchdowns, a special teams touchdown, four field goals and a defense that produced six sacks and two takeaways. It was an ugly home opener for the Browns.
The Cowboys won 33-17, making a statement after an offseason of questions and angst.
The Browns offense, which was missing both starting offensive tackles, was no match for Mike Zimmer’s defense. Cleveland had only one first down, 22 plays and 54 yards in the first half and finished with 70 plays for 230 yards and 15 first downs with an average gain of 3.3 yards.
Eric Kendricks, the Cowboys’ big offseason free agent acquisition, made a team-leading nine tackles with two sacks and an interception. DeMarcus Lawrence also had two sacks, and Micah Parsons had a sack, a tipped pass that led to Kendricks’ pick and five quarterback hits.
Trevon Diggs made an interception in his first game back after tearing an ACL early last season, and DeMarvion Overshown had a sack in his first regular-season game after missing all of his rookie season with a torn ACL.
Deshaun Watson was 24-of-45 for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, and former Cowboy Amari Cooper had only two catches for 16 yards. David Njoku, who caught four passes for 44 yards, left with an ankle injury in the second half.
Dak Prescott completed 19 of 32 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown after agreeing to terms on a record-setting extension earlier in the day. CeeDee Lamb caught five passes for 61 yards after missing all of the offseason and training camp while seeking an extension he signed two weeks ago.
KaVontae Turpin returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown early in the second half, his first career return for a touchdown, and Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 57, 40, 50 and 46 yards. He made a record-tying 66-yard field goal at the end of the first half that was negated by a delay of game, and the Cowboys didn’t let him attempt a 71-yarder.
But it was all Cowboys all day, reminding everyone they still have the talent to contend.
Browns tight end David Njoku was injured in the third quarter.
With five minutes gone in the second half, Njoku caught a 29-yard pass from Deshaun Watson to the Dallas 27. He took a hard tackle from both Eric Kendricks and Malik Hooker.
Njoku needed assistance to get from the sideline medical tent to the X-ray room.
He is questionable to return with an ankle injury, but his limp indicates he won’t return today.
Njoku leads the team with four catches for 44 yards.
The Browns ruled out linebacker Mohamoud Diabate with a hip injury.
The Browns scored their first touchdown on a 6-yard reception by Jerry Jeudy to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 27-10.